Moving Picture World (May 1919)

1196 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 24, 1919 LOEW WILL HAVE A 3,000 SEAT HOUSE New Theatre Being Planned for Ottawa Will Be Next to the Largest in the Entire Dominion OFFICIAL announcement has been made at Ottawa that the Loew theatre to be constructed in the Canadian capital will be the second largest theatre in the whole Dominion. This news comes from T. P. Birchall, of Jlontreal, president of the Loew's Ottawa Company, who visited Ottawa on May 9 to arrange final details for building operations. He announced that 66 additional feet of frontage on Bank street had been purchased, giving a total frontage of 264 feet on the one street and 100 feet on the other street, the site being on a corner. The theatre will have a seating capacity of 3,000 and is only exceeded in size in Canada by Loew's Montreal Theatre. The structure will contain four commodious stores, and one of the upper floors will be used for an assembly hall vs^ith direct communication with the mezzanine floor of the theatre proper. This hall w^ill be utilized for dancing and other purposes. The Ottawa theatre will have a threecolor lighting system similar to that in use in various New^ York theatres and also in the Regent Theatre, Toronto. With this system it will be possible to produce many color tones and effects to heighten the effect of moving picture features. Tenders for the construction of the theatre will be called about May 20, and actual work will be started early in June. The expectation is that the house will be opened about December 15. A number of old buildings on the site are now being demolished. Interesting Ceremony at the Regent. An interesting ceremony occurred at Allen's Regent Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, after the second performance on Monday afternoon, May 12. Included in the program for the day w^as a first-aid picture presented under the auspices of the St. John Ambulance Association, and at the close of the second show Mayor Fisher presented the Irwin Challenge Cup to the Ottawa Police Department for efficiency in first-aid work together with proficiency certificates to members of the Police Department, Ottawa Electric Railway Company and Fire Department. After the ceremony the usual program of the theatre was resumed. Regal AVlll Distribnte Government Films. Regal Films, Limited, the large Canadian exchange, has been appointed official distributor of all pictures produced by the Ontario Government Motion Picture Bureau. The official films will be released every other week, and the titles of the first four releases are "A Springtime Harvest — Maple Syrup and Sugar," "Vocational Training in Ontario," "The Story of Paper," "Ontario Fisheries and Farmerettes." These subjects will be released through the company's six offices in the Dominion. The Regal Company has also been releasing the Ford Educational Monthly, contracts for which are booked with payment in advance for a year. Some of the Recent Hits. "The Unpardonable Sin" had such a big run at the Dominion Theatre during the week of April 21 that it was repeated during the following week by Manager Davis. Special prices were charged, and the picture was given big advertising in the local papers. During the first week the attendance totaled 28,900 for the six days, six performances being given daily. Nazimova's "Out of the Fog" drew so well at the Imperial Theatre, Ottawa, during the week of April 28 that Manager Joe O'Leary was summoned by the local police department for blocking the traffic and the entrance of the theatre. Manager Graham, of the National Theatre, Winnipeg, presented "Civilization" as a special attraction during the week of April 28 at increased prices and with a special orchestra. No Brutality Gentlemen — Sticlc to War Film. The presentation of the prohibited Johnson-Willard fight pictures at an aftershow performance in the Peter Pan Theatre, Toronto, cost the management of the theatre a fine of $25 when the case v^as heard in the Toronto Police Court, the projection machine operator lost his license and the Provincial Government of Ontario confiscated the film. The theatre was raided during the H. B. Warner's Costume Is Appropriate for "The Man Who Turned White." Showing him backed by one of the Arabian village sets in the Robertson-Cole feature released by Exhibitors Mutual. presentation by the local police, while a representative of the Government seized the banned picture. More Talent for the Screen. Mrs. J. Jankes, wife of the proprietor of the lola Theatre, Toronto, has been visiting various moving picture studios in t California, including the Fox, Universal i and Mary Pickford establishments. She wrote recently that she had played a minor part in a picture. George J Tuckett, of Hamilton, cigar manufacturer, is also telling his Canadian friends that he appeared recently in a Christie comedy as an "extra." Regal Contemplates Building in Winnipeg. Announcement is made at Winnipeg, Manitoba, that the Regal Film interests have secured an option on the Fairweather Building, Portage avenue, for the erection of a large moving picture theatre. The property has a frontage of 150 feet, and the proposed theatre will seat 2,800, it is stated. N. L. Nathanson, of Toronto, managing director of the company, recently visited Winnipeg to look over t';, ground along with George P. Bickell, ■ Toronto, who is also directly associate ; with the Regal and Paramount theatic companies. Craig Gets His Old Job. Manager Wilson, of the Lyceum Theatre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, is proud of his doorman, John B. Craig, as a result of the w^ar service rendered by his employe. Craig was employed at the Starland Theatre, Winnipeg, before the war when that theatre was managed by Mr. Wilson, and as soon as hostilities were declared he left for overseas. Craig was captured and spent three and one-half years in German prison camps. Upon his return to Winnipeg, Manager Wilson immediately re-employed him as he promised to do when he left in August, 1914. Aliens Have Four Houses Under Way. Messrs. Jule and J. J. Allen, of Toronto, have no less than four large moving picture theatres in course of construction in the city of Toronto. These include Allen's Danforth, Parkdale, St. Clair and Waverley theatres. They are located in four distinct suburbs of the city. The Danforth is nearing completion. When these houses are opened the Aliens will have no less than eight attractive theatres in operation in the city of Toronto alone. Toronto School Sho-ws Pictures. Something new in moving picture circles of Toronto, Ontario, was the staging of a moving picture show at the Winchester Street School on a recent Tuesday afternoon under the auspices of the Winchester Home and School Club. The program consisted mainly of official Government educational pictures, and the pupils manifested much interest. The show was held during school hours, the pupils readily agreeing to double up with their lessons during the morning session. National Closes for the Season. The National Theatre, Ottawa, has been closed for the season. This house haa been operated under the auspices of a French-Canadian organization, La Societe du Monument National de I'Ottawa. It has had a checkered career. It has had three managers during the course of a year and has been closed for various reasons quite often. Coplan Leases Princess. The Princess Theatre, one of the attractive smaller theatres of Ottawa, has been leased by the owner, I. Sugerman, to S. Coplan. The latter is new to the moving picture business. Clonkey Manages Edmonton's Allen. Edmonton, Alberta, has welcomed Oral D. Cloakey as the new manager of the Allen Theatre there. Cloakey succeeded Ben Cronk as manager of the Allen Theatre in Calgary after Mr. Cronk had gone to Toronto to assume an important post